Kane Cornes has urged GWS to put some defensive work into Jordan De Goey during Saturday night’s Opening Round clash against Collingwood.
De Goey proved the difference between the sides in last year’s tight Preliminary Final as the Magpie picked up 34 disposals to go with a ridiculous 13 clearances in a clear best-afield performance.
While De Goey was awesome in that encounter, Cornes believes the Giants were partly to blame as he feels they let the midfielder do as he pleased at stoppage without any closed checking.
Although not calling for a tag, Cornes thinks the Giants must at the very least have one of their on-ballers stand shoulder-to-shoulder with De Goey at every contest.
He put the Giants and coach Adam Kingsley in the gun to make the move while talking to David King on SEN Breakfast.
Cornes: “I'm putting the Giants in the gun, and I want to see if anyone gives Jordan De Goey any level of respect.
“I'm not calling for tags or anything, but the last time Jordan De Goey played against the Giants, he cost them single-handedly a spot in the Grand Final because they refused to go anywhere near him at stoppage.
“34 disposals, 13 clearances, 17 contested possessions and he continually went to stoppage, stood on his own, got the clearance, burst out and set Collingwood up.
“I know they play a system … they play role. But that doesn't mean if Jordan De Goey is standing all alone at the stoppage, Tom Green, Stephen Coniglio, someone, a half-forward coming up to the stoppage, cannot stand alongside Jordan De Goey.
“So, they're in the gun with the tactics and I want to see how they go about that and if they learn anything from the Prelim final.”
King: “You're comfortable with Tom Green standing next to Jordan De Goey?”
Cornes: “Yes. I want anyone, 100 per cent.
“Tom Green - go shoulder to shoulder with Jordan De Goey. For goodness sake, don't let him stand on his own and be hit to and then go again. Someone put some level of respect into him.”
King: “That's a good call.
“When you lose a preliminary final by a point, all those little things come home to roost, don't they?”
Cornes also asked GWS assistant Shane Mumford whether the Giants would put work into De Goey, and the coach says the club acknowledged how dominant the Magpie was in their last meeting.
“He certainly did (take us apart), he was very good in that Prelim final,” Mumford said.
“You don't like to dwell on the past too much, but when someone does get a hold of you, you certainly want to put your best foot forward the next time you play him.
“I'd like to see whoever's on him at the time be keeping him right away from it if possible.
“But obviously being the great player that he is, he's going to find the ball at some point.”
Saturday’s clash at Engie Stadium is set to begin at 7:30 pm (AEDT).
